Process of treating ores to sinter them



A. S. DWIGHT.

PROCESS OF TREATING ORES TO SINTER THEM.

APPLICATION man MAY 8,1912.

Patented 0011.24

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WT/VEEEEF A. S DWIGHT. PROCESS OF TREATING ORES T0 SINTER THEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1912.

Patented Oct; 24 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

37- any,

Patented Unto Ed, lhfifi. v

ARTHUR, S. DWIGHT, OF NEW YORK, ltl'. Y., ASSIGNOR T DWIGHT & LLOYD METAL LURGICM COMPANY, OF NEW YURK, N. Y.,

A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF TREATING GEES T0 SINTER THEM.

Urigin'al application filed December 23, 1907, Serial'lt'o.

407,860. Divided and-application filed March 25, 1912, Serial No. 635,909. Divided and this application filed May 8, 1912, Serial No. 695,882.

ing ores forthe purpose of sintering them,

especially such ores as contain or have mixed with them a readily combustibleelement or substance and are of such nature that combustion may be carried on therein after an initial igniting of the mass has been effected;

and which may, by reason of the said combustion carried on while the contiguous particles of the mass are maintained as to each other'in a state of relative quiescence, be

sintered or have the particles thereof 'agglomerated into masses which are well suited,

for-subsequent treatment in blast furnaces.

ll may mention as one example of an ore such as the processand apparatus herein to be' described are adapted to treat, a sulfid ore in which the combustible constituent, sulfur,

, is in sufficient quantity to permit the ore to be readily ignited and to burn if supplied with air or 'othesupporter of combustion; and as another example of the material to be treated, I may mention a mixture of pulverized or finely crushed ore and pulverized coal or other form of carbon.

The invention herein presented and claimed relates particularly to the means employed for efiecting the initial ignition of the ore. Such means are capable of combination with any of numerous sorts of mechanisms for supporting and for carrying the ore during and after treatment, and in respect to said supporting and carrying mechanisms the presentflz'invention is not. limited; k

For the purpose of illustrating how the invention may bepractically carried into effect, I have relpresented in the accompanying drawings, t and transporting the ore, livering e mechanism for supplying and finally doit in si'ntered masses, which is shown, described and claimed in my application for patent filed December 23, 1907, original-Serial Number 407,860 on which application has issued Patent #1927 ,110 dated face, in an ore ments of a carrier upon wheels 11) adapted to travel -May 21, 1912." This application is a divimechanism illustrated and described in this application in so far as it relates to the means shown for igniting the ore at its sursintering or agglomerating apparatus. I therefore herein make no claim to such apparatus.

Figure l is a side elevation of an ore sinterin'g machine such as just referred to and with which the improvements herein presented and claimed are adapted to be used.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of part of the apparatus illustrating the igniters.

Fig. 3 is a cross section showing one of the pallets or ore carrying elements and part of the suction box.

Fig. 4 .is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the apparatus takenon the line lVlV of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is atop plan view.

For the purposes hereof it is sufficient to note that, in the drawings, Arepresents an air suction box,-over or across the open end of which travel the ore-supporting cars or pallets 15, these constituting individual ,ele

for the ore. Each 'of these elements carries one or more grate sections' C, suitably supported, and is mounted upon tracks or guides, shown at F, F, F

K indicates a hopper or feeder which is After the ore has been placed upon its support or carrier, it is ignited at its openat supplied with ore, initially, and from which or exposed surface by the temporary a plication thereto of flame or vburning pro ucts which are so regulated and controlled as to subject a relatively wide area of the surface of the ore bed to a simultaneous treatment for ignition. After this temporary application of the flame or burning products, which is maintained sufliciently long for perfect ignition, the ore is-subjected to a more or less extended and continuous action of the air currents which are induced to pass through ldt the bodyof ore by the air moving mechanism U connected with the air box or chamber A.

In operating with the mechanism illustrated in the drawing, the ore carrier, formed of the units designated B, is slowly moved across the open end of the air chamber A, the length of such open end, and the speed at which the carrier moves determining the length of time when the ore is subjected to the action of the air currents passing through the orebody, during which time such internal combustion takes place within the ore mass as to cause the desired sintering thereof, and the desulfurizing,.when a sulfid ore is being treated. At the end of the track section F, which is the section adjacent to the open end of the wind box or air chamber A, and which, as shown, preferably extends some distance beyond the end of the wind box, the ore carriers pass to the downwardly curved track section or guide, F, with which the Wheels of the pallets or individual ore carriers engage and by which their course is directed. From this part of the guideway the pallets or cars move to the in- E'c'lined and returning part of the track, F along which they travel in inverted position. At H there are lifting and power transmitting wheels, adapted to engage with the pallets or cars and carry them upward to the track section F, and then by a pushlng action impart forward travel to them during their next cycle. The wheels H are rotated by the belt T connected with their shaft.

At U there is an air forcing apparatus, here shown as a suction fan, connected by a trunk or duct J, with the air box A, and

adapted to exhaust the air from the latter,

causing currents of air to pass downward through the ore on the pallets or cars, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1.

' The means which are herein shown for igniting the ore are adapted for burning gasolene, petroleum, or other similar combustable fluid, and preferably comprise a pair of spray burners I, so arranged that the flames and burning products issuing therefrom, are applied to and caused to pass over and across the upper exposed surface 'of the mass of ore to be treated. The burners I are preferably disposed diametrically op-' p osite each other as represented in Flg. 2. he burners are supplied through a pipe, I, connected with any suitable source of supply and are provided with the regulating valves 2, i; It will be apparent that by apparatus such as I have described a broad and intense flame is caused to be passed over and across a sufiiciently wide area of the ore at one and the same. instant of time to insure perfect ignition, and that the flame is drawn into intimate contact with the surface of the ore, and somewhat into the body thereof, by the suction apparatus connected with the air box A. In these respects the illustrated in earlier patents of mine, for

instance, in Patent 916,391 of March 23. 1909, wherein I show an igniter consisting of a perforated gas pipe extending across the apparatus supporting the bed of ore and arranged to direct small open jets of gas against the surface of the ore along a narrow line.

The present apparatus not only possesses the advantage of subjecting a comparatively large area of the exposed body of ore to the igniting flame at one and the same instance, but is adapted to be used in localities where gas is not easily obtainable and where, therefore, an apparatus of the sort illustrated in my aforesaid patent could not be used to advantage.

By means of the regulating valves 11, the volume and intensity of the flames issuing from the burners can be varied to suit the different conditions met with in treating ores; and moreover by means thereof the flames can be temporarily entirely out off or so reduced as to have no igniting effect upon the ore, and then again increased so as to project across a fresh surface of the ore the burners across and over the body of the ore.

I have not in the drawings illustrated in detail the construction of the spray burners I, as they may be of any well known kind adapted to the use described.

In using the apparatus shown the ore carrier is slowly moved by the wheels H, and

the elements thereof are filled from the hopper K, each receiving a relatively thin layer which is uniformly spread upon the grate C. After the ore has been properly deposited it is ignited at its upper surface by the means already described, and, after being thoroughly ignited the play of the hot ignltlng particles upon the surface of the ore is discontinued, either by reason of relative separatin motion between the ignited ore mass an burners; or by movement of the flaming particles and hot products of combustion over, across, and relative to the ore, as by the intermittent shutting off and admitting of the fuel supply to the burners. The ore being once thoroughly ignited at its surface, a uniform combustion trans-- versely through the ore mass is caused to take dplace by currents of air which are induce by the air moving apparatus U, to

pass through the bed of ore, the combustion, which is carried on while the contiguous particles of the mass are in a state ofrelati-ve quiescence, being sufficiently active to insure sinterin or agglomerating of the particles of ore. dlhe apparatus is so operated a process in the manner herein illustrated and. described, the ore material, from the time it is delivered to the pallets until it isfinally dischargedtherefrom as a sintcred product, is maintained in a quiescent state, there being no agitation of its particles during this period. The ore-holding devices shown re ceive the'ore in the way illustrated in a rela- 1 tively shallow layer or stratum and it passes from the place of initial feeding to the place of sinter dc-livery without contacting with any devices that would act to stir, disturb or agitate it. The air guiding mechanism is such that the air moves from the top of the stratum through it toward the bottom to support internal combustion, and this method of applyin and directing the air is adopted because t e air passing through in this way does not agitate the particles in relation to each other and they are permitted .to remain in quiescencei I do not in this case claim the mechanism for supporting and conveying the ore and for causing'air currents to pass through the ore while being supported and conveyed which is illustrated and described in this application, as such apparatus is claimed in my aforesaid Patent #1,027,110. The said mechanism in so far as it is a conveying-apparatus capable of use for other purposes-than in the roasting, sintering and similar treatment of ore, is also claimed by, me in my application filed April 30, 1910, Serial No. 558,621 on which has issued Pattaent #1,027,111 dated May 21, 1912.

What I claim is 1. In the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which consists in forming athiu pervious bed of orev containing a combustible constituent, igniting the oreat an exposed surface thereof by a broad mass of highly heated products of combustion applied across a relatively wide area of the ore urface at one andthe same period of time and continuing the combustion thus started While the contiguous particles of the mass are maintained in a condition of. relative quiescence.

' 2. In the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which conslsts 1n forming a lll'llll pervlous bed of ore contalning a combustible constituent, igniting the ore at an exposed surface thereof by a broad mass Of highly heated products'of combustion applied across a relatively wide area of the ore surface, drawing the said igniting heated products ofcombustion into'intimate contact with the ore by means of air currents passing through the ore mass and continuing the combustion thus started while the contiguous particles of the mass are maintained in a condit on of relative quiescence.

' 3. In theart of sintering ore, the herein described process which consists in forming 8d constituent, igniting the ore at an exposed A a thin bed of ore containing a combustible surface by flaming particles issuing from a 1 burner and causing the said flaming particles to be projected fromrthe burner and to spread over and across an exposedsurface of the ore and contlnulng the combus- 'tion thus started while the contiguous particlcs of the mass are maintained in a condltron ofreiative quiescence.

4. In the art of sintering ore, the herem Will described process which consists in forming a thin per-vious bed of ore containing a combustible constituent, igniting the ore atan exposed surface thereof by flaming particles issuing from a burner, causing the said 10% flaming particles to be projected from the burner and to spread over and across an exposed surface of the ore, discontinuing the play of the igniting flaming particles. upon the ore and then completing the sinteringby internal combustion within the ore mass while the particles thereof are maintained in a state of relative quiescence.

5.'In" the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which consists in-forming a thin pervious bed of ore containing a combustlble constituent. igniting the oreat lie the exposed upper surface thereof by flaming particles of burning liquid hydrocarbon drawn into intimate engagement with the ore by air currents passing downwardly through the said bed of ore, the combustion thus started being continued through the mass while the contiguous particles thereof are maintained in a state of relative quiescence.

6. In the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which consists in forming a thin pervious bedof ore containing a comibustibl'e constituent, igniting the ore at an exposed surface thereof by flaming particles of burning liqilid hydrocarbon which are temporarily applied to a relatively wide area of the exposed surface of the ore at one and the same period of time, discontinuing fee lldtl the play'of the igniting flaming partichs upon the ore after thorough surface ignition has taken place, and continuing the sintering by internal combustion in the ore mass induced by air currents passing through the bed of ore while the particles thereof are maintained in a state of relative quiescence! 7. In the treatment of ore or other material containing a combustible component,

the "process of subjecting a charge of thematerial to the traverse of gases through the charge from top downward, projecting from fixed points above the charge ignition fuel across the surface of the charge in paths substantially parallel to said surface and under a head to overcome any material deflection from said paths by the currents traversing. the charge, and supplying combustion-supporting gasesto said ignition fuel.

8. In 'the art of sintering or agglomerating fine ore containing a combustible constituent, the process herein described which consists in dis msing the ore in a relatively thin layer permeable to gases, moving the ore layer along a prescribed path, projecting across the exposed surface of the layer,

ARTHUR S. DWIGHT.

Witnesses ROBERT C. CONLY, LoUIs H. HYDE.

i m. r

l,4r33,35l.Arthur S. Dwight, New York, N. Y. Pnoonss orTRna'rmG Onns 'ro 4 SINTER THEM. Patent dated October M, 1922. Disclaimer filed October 21,

. 1931, by the assignee, Dwight oh Lloyd Smtermg Company, Inc.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 3, 4L, 5, and 7 of said Letters Patent, which are in the following words, to-wit':

3. in the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which consists in forming a thin bed of ore containing a combustible constituent, igniting the ore at an exposed surface by flamingparticles issuing from a burner and causing the said flaming particles to be projected from the burner and to spread over and across an exposed surface of the ore and continuing the combustion thus started while the contiguous particles of the mass are maintained in a condition of relative quiescence.

"4. In the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which conslsts 1n forming I a thin pervious bed of ore containing a combustible constituent, igniting the ore at an exposed surface thereof byfiaming particles issuing from a burner, causing the said flaming particles to be projected from the burner and to spread over and across an exposed surface of the ore, discontinuing the play of the igniting flaming particles upon the ore and thencompleting the sintering by internal combustion within the ore mass while the particles thereof are maintained in a state of relative quiescence.

5. In the art of sintering ore, the herein described process which consists in forming a thin pervious bed of ore containing a combustible constituent, igniting the ore at the exposed upper surface thereof by flaming particles of burning liquid hydrocarbon drawn into intimate engagement with the ore by air currents passing downwardly through the said bed of ore, the combustion thus started being continued through the mass while the contiguous particles 'thereof are maintained in a state of relative.

quiescence.

7. In the treatment of ore or other material containing a combustible component,

' the process of subjecting a charge of the material to the traverse of gases through the charge from top downward, projecting from fixed points above the charge ignition fuel across the surface of the charge in paths substantially parallel to said surface and under a head to overcome any materlal deflection from said paths by-the currents gra-i ersing the charge, and supplying combustion-supporting gases to said ignition [Oflicial Gazette November 17, 1981.] 

